Idol Worship?

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WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

I was just searching the Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji to try and find an answer to one of the earlier posts but i came across this:

saalagiraam hamaarai saevaa ||

Such is the Saalagraam, the stone idol, which I serve;

poojaa arachaa ba(n)dhan dhaevaa ||1|| rehaao ||

such is my worship, flower-offerings and divine adoration as well. ||1||Pause

Is this saying Guru Arjan Dev ji worshipped idols? However i noticed there is no mention of idol in the original version but it only says saalagiraam... so is that an idol? And is that saying we are allowed to idol worship?

Here is the full shabad just incase i took it out of context:

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=1525

Can someone please help.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

[Bhajanpreet]

My Punjabi isn't that great, so when I looked it up in the Mahan Kosh, it was confusing... But as far as I understood, Saaligraam refers to Vaheguru.

[chandanjit kaur]

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idol worship is completely against sikhi ji.....das all i know....sorry

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[singh70]

To WJK,

The shabad you are refering to highlights the Guru's attitude to idol worship.

The Guru is AGAINST idol worship.

All the Guru's constantly preached against the worthlessness and stupidity of idol worship.

In this shabad, Guru Arjan Ji is saying that true devotional worship, being totally and utterly committed to God ( "falling at the Lords feet), is the true Saalagraam, this is my idol worship. Guru Ji is telling the people, "you physically worship idols, but my worship of the formless God, my singing of his praises, my being totally devoted and utterly committed to God --THIS IS MY IDOL WORSHIP OF SAALAGRAAM

Guru Ji continues " such is my worship, flower offerings and divine offerings aswell"

What the Guru Ji is saying is that he does not need to offer flowers, worship and idol or anything else as these are just useless rituals. Guru Ji is saying my offerings of flowers etc, is being totally committed and devoted to God.

"His Aartee, his lamp-lit worship service, is the Kirtan of His Praises, which brings lasting bliss"

Guru Ji is saying that the true Aartee is singing Gods praises, not some ritual with a tray.

If you read the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, you will realise that all through, the Guru's stress the futility of idol worship and rituals. The Guru's use the language of the rituals to make their point. The term is pro avaad.

Using Brahmanical language to show that the rituals are not worth anything.

For example, the real cleansing bath is singing Gods praises, as this will only wash away your sins, not something with soap and water.

The true pilgrimage is contemplating and loving God, not physically going on tours to places of pilgrimage.

[singh70]

To WJK,

The shabad you are refering to highlights the Guru's attitude to idol worship.

The Guru is AGAINST idol worship.

All the Guru's constantly preached against the worthlessness and stupidity of idol worship.

In this shabad, Guru Arjan Ji is saying that true devotional worship, being totally and utterly committed to God ( "falling at the Lords feet), is the true Saalagraam, this is my idol worship. Guru Ji is telling the people, "you physically worship idols, but my worship of the formless God, my singing of his praises, my being totally devoted and utterly committed to God --THIS IS MY IDOL WORSHIP OF SAALAGRAAM

Guru Ji continues " such is my worship, flower offerings and divine offerings aswell"

What the Guru Ji is saying is that he does not need to offer flowers, worship and idol or anything else as these are just useless rituals. Guru Ji is saying my offerings of flowers etc, is being totally committed and devoted to God.

"His Aartee, his lamp-lit worship service, is the Kirtan of His Praises, which brings lasting bliss"

Guru Ji is saying that the true Aartee is singing Gods praises, not some ritual with a tray.

If you read the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, you will realise that all through, the Guru's stress the futility of idol worship and rituals. The Guru's use the language of the rituals to make their point. The term is pro avaad.

Using Brahmanical language to show that the rituals are not worth anything.

For example, the real cleansing bath is singing Gods praises, as this will only wash away your sins, not something with soap and water.

The true pilgrimage is contemplating and loving God, not physically going on tours to places of pilgrimage.

[MAX]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

I was just searching the Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji to try and find an answer to one of the earlier posts but i came across this:

saalagiraam hamaarai saevaa ||

Such is the Saalagraam, the stone idol, which I serve;

poojaa arachaa ba(n)dhan dhaevaa ||1|| rehaao ||

such is my worship, flower-offerings and divine adoration as well. ||1||Pause

Is this saying Guru Arjan Dev ji worshipped idols? However i noticed there is no mention of idol in the original version but it only says saalagiraam... so is that an idol? And is that saying we are allowed to idol worship?

Here is the full shabad just incase i took it out of context:

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=1525

Can someone please help.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

The full passage reads:

"Again and again, he falls at the Lord's Feet.

Such is the Saalagraam, the stone idol, which I serve;

such is my worship, flower-offerings and divine adoration as well."

This simply means that submission to God replaces "the stone idol...worship, flower offerings and divine adoration".

It's actually saying the exact opposite of what you thought it was saying.

Of course, some 'Sikkhs' believe that understanding the words of the Granth in their purity instead of through third-hand misconstruations is the action of an 'evil Manmukh'. Oh well.

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

Read the WHOLE shabad.

[Guest Bass Singh]

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VAHEGUROOO!

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[Lionchild]

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idol worship is completely against sikhi ji.....das all i know....sorry

WJKK WJKF

simple and straight-foward, thank you chandanjit ji for saying that.

I know there is alot of us who prey to guru nanak posters and place food and water near picutres ofthe gurus as well as the guru granth sahib ji.

[WGJKKWGJKF]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH

Thank all of you so much... that really helped coz i really got confused at first cause i thought the Guru was against idol worship aswell all then i must of misinterpreted this shabad.... once again thanks to everyone who replied very much that helped loads in clearing my misunderstading and i appeciate it everyone who replied.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH